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Multi-Use Bugnet Question

Will tulle or no-see-um netting harm my 1.1 ripstop nylon hammock body with my weight pressing down on the netting and it rubs against the ripstop?

Here's the specifics:

I'm interested in making a bugnet out of either tulle or no-see-um. The idea is that I could use it in my hammock and on the ground on trips where I do not use a hammock.

I was thinking about making a tube that would go around me, which means the tulle/no-see-um would be pressed between my body and the hammock body, made out of 1.1 ripstop nylon. I use an UQ, so as I lay down in the tube of netting, my back/shoulders/head will press the netting against the hammock body. So, the concern is that the netting may cause damage to the hammock body if or when the netting rubs against the hammock.

Any thoughts?

Michael (SoCal Mike)

P.S. Mods: Perhaps this belongs in the DIY forum? Is it possible to put this in the bugnet forum AND the DIY forum??

I would recommend making the bugnet a little bigger, and cover the outside of the hammock and UQ. I don't think you would hurt the hammock, but I would think that laying on the bugnet would be a little uncomfortable, and you take a chance of the net ripping, especially if it's tulle......RR

Hug

Mike, have you checked out DeJoha's HUG bugnet design? I've got one on the way from Arrowhead Equipment to use in both hammock and under a HexamidTwin tarp.

Looks like it will work. Should shave a quarter pound off of a full-size hammock net and a bit more off of the tarp net.

I think even I could make something off this simple design...though I'll wind up with a better product from AHE. More dollar-efficient for me to do the job I'm good at and let them do theirs, too.

Thanks for the suggestion, Steve. That's an excellent tip--I love DeJoha's designs. I looked at the HUG, and have it in the back of my mind. I think I put that one on hold because it looks designed to work with a gathered end hammock more easily than a bridge. But it's possible I would modify the design a bit to work with a bridge hammock.

For now, before I start cutting up my batch of noseeum, I bought some cheap tulle and made a small tube prototype to mess around with. It only goes down to my waist and cinches with a shock cord. I will be in a quilt so I'm not concerned about my legs being exposed. I'll see if this design works. Will test the set up this weekend and then in the field in a couple of weeks at a group hang. I will post some photos, either here or in a new thread.

Steve, when your HUG arrives, if you wouldn't mind, could you post photos of it set up in your hammock and then in the 'Mid? I sure would appreciate it.

You know, zPacks uses nanonetting as a tent floor and puts the groundsheet on top of that. This doesn't answer your question as to whether the netting would abraid nylon; might make it even less clear. But you might put the tube over the entire hammock and then use your groundsheet inside when you're earthbound.

Another option would be to make an enlarged headnet arrangement. Maybe have a plastic Dutch/TATO quilt clip for quick disconnect so that you can just wear your tube, you know, get up and walk around with it on when you want. But I've tried the headnet, did not like it ... though it was effective enough with sleeves and TQ.

+1 to what tender toe is saying. In addition, I would think that if you had the mesh under you it would be very easy to rip with the tossing and turning many people do in a hammock. I think it is more practical to put it on the outside.

Originally I used velcro to make the bugnet removable, but I don't like messing with velcro on the trail (too noisy and snaggy), so I ended up sewing the bugnet on 3 sides and putting a zipper on the 4th side.

I hung the net from a ridgeline above, using bungee prusiks. No problem with too much tension.

The shape of the bugnet is like a "hip roof" and to keep from doing the math, I set up the hammock and draped the net over it to get the dimensions and the lengths of the "hip ridgelines".

Happy Trails.

" . . . there's no easy trail to Cache Lake, for it is protected by distance, mile after forgotten mile of woods and water, and it is still clean and clear and safe from civilization." John J Rowlands from Cache Lake Country

bugnet

tpkanu,

That net looks great. Kind of reminds me of my TTTG Switchback hammock, which I traded to get into bridge hammocks.

I'm leaning toward something like that because it offers great coverage and I think is within my skill set with a sewing machine. I'm trying to go light, and this would be a heavier set up, but I have 2 DIY bridges so I might experiment a bit.

I'll see how my tulle tube goes on a trip in about a week and report back.